Having seen AKUS before, I expected greatness. They WERE great on this night, but I give this one 4 stars instead of 5 because something was missing.
Alison seemed a little tired, and although she always leaves room in the show for Dan Tyminski and Jerry Douglas to sing or do other solo work, I think she relied on them more than usual and didn't sing as much as I expected.
The show was a bit under 2 hours, and I came away feeling like she left a lot of good material out. She did a good number of songs from Paper Airplane, which of course make sense since she is touring for that album. But there was nil from "Forget About It" or "New Favorite" (although Tyminski's "Boy Who Wouldn't Hoe Corn" was MAGNIFICENT).
She sang and played great, and they did a fair number of bluegrass jams. That's nice to see! As always, the band plays beautiful, the sound was excellent - not too soft or loud, and beautifully mixed. That sparkling crystal-like sound in her voice came through wonderfully even during quiet passages.
Maryhill Winery is a great place to see a show. It's a nice, small outdoor amphitheater, and the wine and food are good, although pricey. Expect to spend $50/couple if you really want to eat and have some wine. The lawn setting is terrific. They have the lawn terraced into comfortable flat areas, and they are good about keeping people from setting up tall chairs or obnoxious tents that might block your view.
Kacey Musgraves was the warm-up act. I think she did a credible job. Being a warm-up is always tough, but the crowd welcomed her and gave her a chance.
At first, she tried too hard to be "cool", and her audience banter carried a little too much lazy-cool-how-ya-all-doin'-tonight stuff. I worried a bit about this, because one of the great things about AKUS is that they come on stage and they are always just themselves. You feel like they could be family or neighbors playing for you in your living room. So that whole shtick from Musgraves didn't fit in.
But to my surprise, after a few songs, she seemed to calm down, relax, and start being herself more. I can't remember any of the songs, but I do remember that around song 3 or 4, she hit her stride and got my attention; I thought to myself, "Aha. She does have something. Now I see why AKUS invited her to be on this tour."
So overall, a very very good show, and I'd highly recommend seeing AKUS if you ever get the chance. Her band is still the best-playing and best performing band I have ever seen. I like a lot of kinds of music, so I've been to quite a few rock, metal, county, bluegrass, or classical shows, and AKUS beats them all for the sheer quality of musicianship, and how well they play together and connect with the audience.